Windows Phone 8http://www.businessinsider.com/category/windows-phone-8
en-usFri, 09 Dec 2016 10:51:40 -0500Fri, 09 Dec 2016 10:51:40 -0500The latest news on Windows Phone 8 from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/microsofts-turner-challenger-mindset-2014-7This Slide Tells You Everything You Need To Know About How Microsoft Has Changed Since Satya Nadella Took Over (MSFT)http://www.businessinsider.com/microsofts-turner-challenger-mindset-2014-7
Thu, 17 Jul 2014 14:45:13 -0400Julie Bort
<p>This week, two of Microsoft's top executives publicly admitted what everyone else has been saying for a while: Microsoft is a "challenger."</p>
<p>Microsoft used to have 90% share of the computing devices people use. Today it has 14% share.</p>
<p>On <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-nadella-will-really-change-microsoft-2014-7">Monday, CEO Satya Nadella said to attendees of the Fortune Brainstorm conference</a> in Aspen, Colo.: "We have a lot of work to do. We have 90% of PC [market] share and 14% of total device share. We get that."</p>
<p>He explained that Microsoft needs to "renew" the "very company itself."</p>
<p>On Thursday, Microsoft COO Kevin Turner said much the same thing when he spoke at the company's huge Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) going on this week in Washington.</p>
<p>He showed this slide:</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/53c818126bb3f7c00383c191-620-/microsoft-14-percent-slide2.png" border="0" alt="Microsoft 14 percent slide2" width="620" /></p>
<p>The idea of the "challenger mindset" is interesting and new for Microsoft. This was a company that was previously so dominant in the personal computing space, the<a href="http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/Pre_96/July94/94387.txt.html"> Department of Justice deemed it a monopoly</a> and put it under government oversight for a decade.</p>
<p>But Turner's slide is not an admission of failure. Turner explains that by changing Microsoft's attitude, the company has woken up to a huge new market it can tackle.</p>
<p>As he told attendees of the WPC conference:&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&ldquo;We now measure ourself by total device space. </span><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">We have a much bigger opportunity than we&rsquo;ve ever had in the past to grow our business</strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">, but we have to rethink how we look at our business.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p>This is a radical change from the attitude of previous CEO Steve Ballmer who was full of bravado and bluster. He would never publicly call Microsoft a challenger.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-nadella-will-really-change-microsoft-2014-7" >Satya Nadella: This Is How I'm Really Going To Change Microsoft's Culture</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsofts-turner-challenger-mindset-2014-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-holds-surprising-world-record-2014-5A Microsoft Researcher Set A Guinness World Record That Would Make A Teenager Jealous (MSFT)http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-holds-surprising-world-record-2014-5
Fri, 02 May 2014 17:57:00 -0400Julie Bort
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/533c39ea6bb3f7d3750a1ab2-1200-800/img_3334-1.jpg" border="0" alt="build 2014 world record typing windows phone" /></p><p>Microsoft holds some <a href="http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/news/features/wordflow-040414.aspx">surprising Guinness World Records:</a> fastest texting on a smartphone and fastest texting on a smartphone while blind folded.</p>
<p>This is largely thanks to a new Swype-like keyboard used in the latest version of Windows Phone, 8.1, a feature called Word Flow.</p>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/53640f8969bedd635956ff30-300-225/microsoft-gaurav-sharma.jpg" border="0" alt="Microsoft Gaurav Sharma " />The fastest time was recorded by 15-year-old Gaurav Sharma in January in the Microsoft Research cafeteria in Redmond, Washington. In 18.44 seconds he typed:</p>
<p>"The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human."</p>
<p>This beat a previous world record set by an employee at Swype, Franklin Page, back in 2010. He typed the above phrase, also on a Windows phone, in&nbsp;35.54 seconds.</p>
<p>But the most impressive feat of all was done by Microsoft engineer Mark Encarnaci&oacute;n in April. He accurately typed the above phrase in 25.90 seconds ... while blindfolded.</p>
<p>Word Flow is really easy to use. Windows Phone boss Joe Belfiore told us it was his favorite new feature, which is saying something since Microsoft also just introduced a Siri knock-off, called Cortana.</p>
<p>In a Reddit AMA on Friday, Belfiore proudly shared a picture of the Guinness World Record plaque.</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/53640ec06da811dc49579826-918-1632/microsoft-text-message-record.jpg" border="0" alt="Microsoft text message record" width="620" /></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-holds-surprising-world-record-2014-5#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/developers-are-excited-about-windows-2014-4Microsoft's New Plan To Make People Love Windows 8 Is Starting To Work (MSFT)http://www.businessinsider.com/developers-are-excited-about-windows-2014-4
Thu, 03 Apr 2014 19:28:25 -0400Julie Bort
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/533de125ecad04285c27b033-480-/satya-nadella-microsoft-ceo-13.png" border="0" alt="Satya Nadella Microsoft CEO" width="480" /></p><p>When it comes to Windows 8 and Windows Phone, Microsoft has been caught in a Catch-22. People buy devices for the apps. Developers only want to write apps for devices that already have a lot of users.</p>
<p>Microsoft has to convince app developers to write for Windows, not just iOS and Android, in order to sell more devices.</p>
<p>This week during its developer conference, the company unveiled a grand strategy to break the stalemate. It announced a plan to deliver what's known as the "Holy Grail" of app development: write the app once and it runs on everything, Windows 8 devices, Windows Phone 8, Xbox, iOS and Android.</p>
<p>Microsoft's plan consisted of lots of new development software, updates to existing software and n<span>ew features in its app-hosting cloud Azure</span>. Plus, Microsoft also launched a new software foundation that will bring even more "Holy Grail" tools to app developers, for free.</p>
<p>Many people who attended the conference liked what they heard. A lot. Business Insider talked to a handful of developer attendees at the show who shared these thoughts with us:</p>
<ul>
<li>Thanks to the new tools, a programmer who only writes iOS apps is "going to look at" writing Windows Phone 8 apps.</li>
<li>Another told us, "This was a very strategic move. Microsoft is offering a lot of support, making it easy to work with them."</li>
<li>One enterprise software developer said that his company is still in the process of upgrading 25,000 people to new PCs running Windows 7. He'll be exploring a new feature in Windows 8.1 that will let him easily add the Windows 8 Modern interface to older, non-touch Windows apps. If it works, his company will buy Windows 8 PCs. "We'll definitely be heading that route when it makes sense."</li>
<li>Some developers were hopeful about <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsofts-cortana-voice-assistant-2014-4">Cortana, Microsoft's voice-command feature for Windows Phone 8.1</a>, a competitor to Siri. Their apps will be able to tap into Cortana. They will start exploring that when Microsoft releases it to them on April 14.</li>
</ul>
<p>Only one developer we talked to was feeling cautious, unsure if the Holy Grail was even possible. He told us, "If you are designing an iOS app, you want it to feel like an iOS app, not a Windows app that was converted."</p>
<p>Still, there's no question that Microsoft has piqued the interest of the developer community, and that's the first crucial step toward getting consumers and businesses to want Windows devices.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nadella-faces-critical-test-at-build-2014-3" >Microsoft's new CEO faces a critical test: Winning over Microsoft's most powerful allies</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/developers-are-excited-about-windows-2014-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-x-1-million-preorders-2014-31 Million People Just Ordered The Nokia Phone That's Probably Driving Microsoft Nutshttp://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-x-1-million-preorders-2014-3
Fri, 14 Mar 2014 16:05:00 -0400Lisa Eadicicco
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/53235c3d69beddb9780e22bb-480-/elop-nokia-1.jpg" border="0" alt="elop nokia" width="480" style="color: #222222; line-height: 22.5px;" /></p><p></p>
<p>Although Nokia is shaping up to be the poster child for Windows Phone devices in the U.S., the company has proven it can make an Android phone that people want to buy.</p>
<p>Just days after orders for the Android-based Nokia X rolled out, the phone has already hit 1 million pre-orders in China.</p>
<p>After initially publishing the news on the Chinese social network Weibo, Nokia <a href="https://twitter.com/nokia/status/444488629910376448">tweeted</a> the milestone from its primary Twitter handle.</p>
<p>Nokia's decision to pursue Android is particularly surprising because Microsoft is in the process of acquiring Nokia's mobile division for $7 billion. Nokia has been focusing on the Windows Phone platform since 2011.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Nokia X was first <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-android-phone-nokia-x-2014-2">announced at Mobile World Congress</a> last month, but the handset is a bit different than your typical Android smartphone.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The device runs a heavily modified version of the OS that comes with Microsoft apps (Outlook, Skype, OneDrive) instead of the usual suite of Google apps (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, etc.) that are preinstalled on most Android handsets. Instead of a Google Play store, Nokia X owners will use a different Android app store. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Nokia's X smartphones come in three flavors: the X and X+ both feature a 4-inch display, but the X+ comes with more storage space. The XL will come with a larger 5-inch screen.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Although Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has spun the decision as a plus for Microsoft since the phone points users towards Microsoft's services, the PC software company didn't seem enthused. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">"They'll do some things we're excited about, and some things we're less excited about," &nbsp;Microsoft's Joe Belfiore said during a press event at Mobile World Congress.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">When rumors about Nokia's Android phone started swirling before the announcement, a Microsoft insider told Business Insider the move was "embarrassing."</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-x-1-million-preorders-2014-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/windows-phone-cortana-2014-3It’s Now Obvious Why Microsoft Invested Millions In Foursquarehttp://www.businessinsider.com/windows-phone-cortana-2014-3
Mon, 03 Mar 2014 15:02:55 -0500Alyson Shontell
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5314cf47eab8ea5c5f60618a-841-630/dennis-crowley-foursquare-5.jpg" border="0" alt="Dennis Crowley Foursquare" /></p><p>A few months ago, Microsoft invested $15 million in location data company Foursquare. Foursquare looked like a great data partner for Microsoft, but it wasn&rsquo;t clear how the two companies would work together. Foursquare has raised $121 million to date.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Now we know why Microsoft decided to invest so heavily in Foursquare. <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/3/3/5465264/microsoft-cortana-windows-phone-screenshots">According to The Verge</a>, Microsoft will use Foursquare location data in Cortana, a Siri-like voice assistant for Windows Phones. Cortana will be part of a new software update for Windows Phones that will launch this spring.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">While Foursquare didn't directly say Cortana drove Microsoft to invest, it says partnerships like this are why the two companies paired up.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">"<span>Microsoft will use Foursquare&rsquo;s data to augment Microsoft&rsquo;s contextually-aware experiences in several current and upcoming Microsoft products, including Windows Phone and Windows and will provide an even richer local search experience in Bing," a Foursquare spokesperson told Business Insider.</span></span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/windows-phone-cortana-2014-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-x-video-2014-2This Is Nokia's New Android Phone That Has To Be Driving Microsoft Up A Wallhttp://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-x-video-2014-2
Tue, 25 Feb 2014 07:57:41 -0500Steve Kovach
<p>Nokia announced a new family of Android phones called Nokia X at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week.</p>
<p>It was an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-x-microsoft-2014-2">awkward unveiling</a>, since Microsoft is in the process of acquiring Nokia for $7.2 billion. Microsoft wants to use Nokia's handset business to promote Windows Phones, not Android devices.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But Nokia says its Android phones are good thing for Microsoft since they'll be very cheap and introduce Microsoft services to people in emerging markets. Nokia sees the X line of phones as a gateway to regular Windows Phones.</p>
<p>We spent some time with one of the Nokia phones, the Nokia XL, at MWC this week. This isn't the Android you're probably used to. Nokia completely modified the software to promote Microsoft services instead of Google services like Gmail and Google Maps. It also has a separate app store from Google's, which means developers will have to submit their apps separately to Nokia.</p>
<p>Take a look:</p>
<p><iframe width="420" height="315" frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hzcBLLoOQk8"></iframe></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-x-video-2014-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-icon-review-2014-2REVIEW: Here's Your Best Bet If You Want A Windows Phone On Verizonhttp://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-icon-review-2014-2
Mon, 17 Feb 2014 18:47:47 -0500Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/53029e18ecad04f131bfe961-1000-750/nokia-lumia-icon.jpg" border="0" alt="nokia lumia icon" /></p><p>If you want a Windows Phone, there isn't a true flagship device to choose from right now.</p>
<p>Unlike its rivals such as Samsung, Apple, and HTC, Nokia has different variations of its Lumia-branded Windows Phones on each U.S. carrier. T-Mobile and AT&amp;T typically get Nokia's best phones, and Verizon customers have mostly been out of luck if they wanted a premium Windows Phone experience.</p>
<p>Nokia's latest phone, the <a href="http://www.nokia.com/us-en/phones/phone/lumia-icon/">$200 Lumia Icon</a>, may not be a blockbuster product, but it's probably you're best option if you want to stick with Verizon and use Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system. It goes on sale February 20.</p>
<p>Here's a quick review.</p>
<h2>What is it?&nbsp;</h2>
<p>The Lumia Icon isn't much to look at, just your typical black slab with a high-resolution 5-inch screen. The design is a shame, since Nokia's phones on other carriers, like the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-925-review-2013-9">excellent Lumia 925</a>, are much more attractive than the Icon. The phone is well-constructed though, thanks to a tough, rubbery plastic coating and metal band around the edges. You won't feel guilty dropping this thing.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But like many Nokia Lumia phones, the Icon is built like a tank. It weighs 167 grams and is 9.8 mm thick, making it look and feel like a lead brick next to the svelte iPhone 5S. Nokia fans seem to love the weightier feel of the Lumia phones, but I still prefer my devices to be thin and light. I'd suggest going to the store and playing around with the Icon before pulling the trigger.</p>
<h2>What can it do?</h2>
<p>Nokia makes some of the best smartphone cameras you can find, and the one in the Icon is no exception. The Icon has 20 MP camera that shoots clear photos, even in low-light settings. I've only used two smartphone cameras that can take better photos, Nokia's own Lumia 1020 and the iPhone 5S. That's some high praise.</p>
<p>Other than that, the Icon is your standard device running Windows Phone 8, which is a great operating system if you can handle a few drawbacks. The biggest problem with Windows Phones is app selection. While Microsoft's app store is growing, developers still prefer to make their apps for iPhone and Android first. It often takes months or years for apps to arrive on Windows Phone. For example, Instagram didn't make it to Windows Phones until December of last year, and it's still just an early beta version with limited features. If you care about having the best apps, Windows Phones like the Icon aren't a good choice.</p>
<p>That being said, I really like Windows Phone 8, and it's a strong alternative if you don't like Android or you're bored with the iPhone.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>If you're a Verizon customer and want a Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia Icon is your best choice. Not because it's a breakthrough and stellar product, but because you really don't have many other options. If you want the best the Windows Phone ecosystem has to offer, you'll have to switch carriers or hope Nokia comes up with something better for Verizon customers.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-icon-review-2014-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-earnings-2014-1It Was A Bad Christmas For Windows Phoneshttp://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-earnings-2014-1
Thu, 23 Jan 2014 08:13:00 -0500Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52e1166769bedd9153325dd8-1200-924/steve-ballmer-and-stephen-elop-show-off-lumia-windows-phones-12.jpg" border="0" alt="steve ballmer and stephen elop show off lumia windows phones" /></p><p>Nokia earnings for the fourth quarter of 2013 are out.</p>
<p>Here's the scorecard:</p>
<p><strong>EPS:&nbsp;</strong>0.05 Euros</p>
<p><strong>Sales:&nbsp;</strong>3.5 billion Euros</p>
<p><span>Nokia says it sold 8.2 million Lumia phones last quarter. Lumia phones are the devices that run Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system. Lumia sales had actually been growing quarter over quarter in 2013, but saw a decline in the final quarter. It sold 8.8 million Lumias in Q3 2013. </span></p>
<p><span>That's a troubling stat since sales declined during the holiday season. It's also a bad sign for the Windows Phone platform in general. Nokia is pretty much the only manufacturer that sells Windows Phones these days. HTC, Samsung, and others don't take the platform very seriously and concentrate on Android instead.</span></p>
<p>Remember, Microsoft is still in the process of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-buys-nokia-devices-2013-9">buying Nokia's smartphone and tablet business for $7.2 billion</a>, but the deal hasn't gone through yet. Everything should be finalized before the end of the first quarter of 2014. Microsoft will report earnings this afternoon around 4 p.m. Eastern.</p>
<p>Nokia says its phones did not sell as well as expected because of increased competition from other manufacturers.<span>&nbsp;</span>It blamed the fact that other companies are selling smartphones cheaply for the lack of interest in Nokia handsets. Smartphone sales are declining year over year.&nbsp;<span>&nbsp;</span><span>(However, Nokia makes a few cheap Windows Phone models too.)</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-earnings-2014-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/mint-app-windows-81-and-windows-phone-8-2013-12Windows Phone Users Can Now Get One Of The Best Financial Apps On The Planethttp://www.businessinsider.com/mint-app-windows-81-and-windows-phone-8-2013-12
Wed, 04 Dec 2013 08:30:00 -0500Ryan Bushey
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/529e583cecad04d711dfbbaa-480-/mint-julep-2.jpg" border="0" alt="mint julep" width="480" style="float: right;" /></p><p> Mint, the popular personal finance app, has arrived for Windows 8 tablets and computers and Windows Phone 8.</p>
<p>Both versions of the app will work the same way. Mint syncs with personal banking accounts and provide up-to-date information to users such as looming deadlines for bill pay as well as financial advice.</p>
<p>Group Product Manger Vince Maniago feels particularly proud of the "Goals" feature. This part of the app allows users to create a savings plans for a variety of major events including "dreams". Mint.com will help formulate a plan for savings in anticipation of major life events such as an upcoming wedding or purchasing a house.</p>
<p>The biggest difference with this app compared to the Android and iOS alternatives is it takes advantage of a core element within the Windows 8 operating system: Live Tiles, which are app icons that update in real time with information.</p>
<p>Maniago noted that the constant shifting of the tiles made it more visually pleasing to help plan finances. Incorporated into the program is a widget that provides an excellent organization system that can condense all your information into digestible chunks of information.</p>
<p>For example, one tile can display your recent transactions while another will contain the current amount of money found in your accounts. These panels can be switched around and linked together in order to sync more tasks together. See an example below.</p>
<p class="float_left"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/529e5c2769bedd0344dfbba2-630-473/mintcom-windows-app-1.png" border="0" alt="Mint.com Windows App" width="800" style="float: left;" /></p>
<p>While Mint.com has always had a presence on Windows, Maniago explained that the company wanted to adopt the newest version of Microsoft's OS since they got great feedback from beta testers regarding the look on Live Tiles and the amount of traffic they gain from the desktop versions.</p>
<p>You can download the app from the <a href="http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/mint/aae6350d-847d-49d1-9423-d1622159f970">Microsoft Windows Store for free here.</a></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mint-app-windows-81-and-windows-phone-8-2013-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-525-2013-11Nokia Has A New Version Of Its Most Popular Windows Phonehttp://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-525-2013-11
Wed, 27 Nov 2013 12:03:56 -0500Ryan Bushey
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/52962084ecad049641c88947-480-/nokia-lumia-525.jpg" border="0" alt="Nokia Lumia 525 " width="480" style="float: right;" /></p><p>Nokia&nbsp;launched a new smartphone today called the Lumia 525.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/04/nokia-lumia-525-surfaces-at-chinese-regulator/">Engadget discovered this phone</a> in a regulatory filing earlier this month, but Nokia surprised everyone with a quiet unveiling this morning. The phone appeared in a product page found on the main website.</p>
<p>The Lumia 525 is a direct descendant of the most popular Windows phone in the company's arsenal, the Lumia 520. The features include a 5 megapixel rear camera and a 4 inch screen.</p>
<p>On the outside, the device looks just like the Lumia 520. On the inside, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/27/5150754/nokia-lumia-525-specifications-features-price-release-date">The Verge's Tom Warren points out</a> is where the difference is.</p>
<p>Nokia has bumped up the memory storage to 1GB of RAM to deal with the issues that arose for the 520's 512 MB of RAM for certain apps and games.</p>
<p>The page for the new Lumia lists only Africa, Middle East, and Asia Pacific as selected regions for shipping. <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/27/nokias-lumia-525/">Engadget mentions</a> that the phone is not going to arrive in the U.S. or the U.K. according to its Nokia sources.</p>
<p>While news regarding this Windows phone could change in the next few months, Nokia seemed to be fond of the 520 and stuck to the adage of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."</p>
<p>Check out the video below of what else the Lumia 525 has to offer.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3pv7ijWuY8E"></iframe></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-525-2013-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-for-windows-phone-2013-11AT LAST: Instagram Arrives On Windows Phone (MSFT, FB)http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-for-windows-phone-2013-11
Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:58:00 -0500Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/51c345daecad044c5700000f-639-479/kevin-systrom-instagram-ceo-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Kevin Systrom Instagram CEO" /></p><p>It's been nearly three years since Microsoft released its new Windows Phone operating system, and it finally has one of the most sought after apps: Instagram.</p>
<p>Instagram officially lands on Windows Phone devices later today along with another popular app already on Android and iPhone called Waze. (Waze is a mapping application that's now owned by Google. Its users report items like traffic accidents and reduced gas prices that appear in the app.)</p>
<p>Microsoft couldn't be more giddy that Instagram, Waze, and a handful of other big-name apps like Flipboard and Vine are finally coming to Windows Phone.</p>
<p>Speaking to Business Insider, two members of the Windows Phone app store and marketing teams said the platform is finally big enough to start attracting the big-name apps people want to use.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"While our global market share is around 4%, it's still the fastest growing," said Todd Brix, the general manager of the Windows app store. (He was talking about Windows Phone market share.) "Developers are smart and they'll invest where opportunity is going."</p>
<p>Brix has a point. Nokia, the biggest maker of Windows Phones, continues to report increasing shipments of its Windows Phones quarter over quarter. It <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-ships-88-million-lumia-phones-2013-10">shipped 8.8 million Lumia-branded Windows Phones last quarter</a>.</p>
<p>But in reality, things aren't quite so rosy for Windows Phone and even Android, which has a whopping 80% of the global smartphone market. Developers still tend to make apps for iPhone before moving on to Android or Windows Phone. That means non-iPhone users often have to wait months to get the hottest new apps and app updates.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Microsoft's next challenge isn't necessarily to get the current library of hot apps on Windows Phone (but that helps!), it's to make sure developers think of making stuff for Windows Phone right off the bat.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-for-windows-phone-2013-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-review-2013-11REVIEW: Nokia's Crazy-Huge New Windows Phone (MSFT)http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-review-2013-11
Mon, 18 Nov 2013 09:00:00 -0500Jillian D'Onfro
<p dir="ltr"><span><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/528a412d6da811144af098ba-480-360/nokia-lumia.jpg" border="0" alt="nokia-lumia" />Think bigger is better? </span></p>
<p dir="ltr">Nokia&rsquo;s Lumia 1520 smartphone with a 6-inch screen hits stores this week. The super-large Lumia phablet (yup, that&rsquo;s the lingo for those part phone, part tablet giants) is .3 inches larger than its competitor, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/galaxy-note-3-review-2013-9" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy Note 3</a>.</p>
<p>It's also the first phablet powered by Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 mobile operating system.</p>
<p>The Lumia 1520 goes on sale in the U.S. this week for about $200 on contract with AT&amp;T. It comes in black, white, yellow, and red.</p>
<h2>Size-Wise</h2>
<p>The Lumia is large and in charge. I don&rsquo;t consider myself a super small-handed person, but holding onto this behemoth took some getting used to. If you&rsquo;re thinking about buying this (or any) phablet, I strongly suggest trying it out in the store first to make sure you actually dig its proportions.</p>
<p>The joy of a phablet though is the big, beautiful screen. The Lumia&rsquo;s 6-inch HD display looks stunning and is perfect if you plan on playing a lot of games or watching videos or shows. I tried out "Halo: Spartan Assault" and couldn&rsquo;t believe how amazing the graphics looked. Ditto for videos on Vimeo and Netflix. Plus, the phablet runs on a zippy quad-core processor, which means it runs fast and I could multitask like crazy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Another great perk of its giant-status is that the battery lasts much longer than it does on smaller phones. I got more than a day&rsquo;s use out of it, compared to my usual schedule of charging overnight and hoping that my phone will last if I go out after work.</p>
<p>Plus, the huge screen means that the keyboard is great for jotting out emails or, if you&rsquo;re the kind of person planning to use Microsoft Office on their phone, Word documents.</p>
<h2>Using It</h2>
<p>The Lumia 1520 runs Microsoft Windows Phone OS, with all that entails. I&rsquo;m still getting used to the customizable Live Tiles format and it took me a while to switch out all the pre-loaded apps (like AT&amp;T&rsquo;s branded TV streaming app) for the ones that I actually wanted to use.</p>
<p>The phablet did come pre-loaded with some cool apps though. I quickly fell in love with Nokia Music, the built in Pandora-esque radio app on the Lumia. I could create amazing mixes&mdash;without commercials&mdash;for free that managed to stick to my music tastes way better than the real Pandora ever does.</p>
<p>It also comes with the Storyteller app that lets you pull all your pictures into a clean, pretty interface and display albums or events on a map so you can virtually walk someone through your vacation, for example. It&rsquo;s definitely cool, though I question how much I&rsquo;d actually use it, as opposed to just throwing all my pictures up on Facebook. (I&rsquo;m in my early 20s and at times I got the feeling that this phone was geared towards an older audience. This app would work better for my mom to brag about our family vacation to a relative than it would be for me to share my experience with a friend. Plus in the &ldquo;Helps and Tips&rdquo; section, I was recommended &ldquo;all the apps to keep you (and your kids) busy.&rdquo;)</p>
<p>Of course, one of the biggest selling points of the Lumia is the camera, which runs with Nokia&rsquo;s new-and-improved camera app. With 20 MP (for comparison, the new iPhone 5S has a 8 MP camera), the Lumia takes great shots, even in low light, and if you want to shoot video, you&rsquo;ll appreciate the four microphones, which capture audio crisply no matter which angle it&rsquo;s coming from.</p>
<p>I absolutely loved the amazing camera experience, but I have to admit that the size of the phone was an issue for me here. I mean, it takes great pictures, but it&rsquo;s way larger than my old digital camera. When I went to a show the other night without a purse, I just couldn&rsquo;t bring it.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>The giant Lumia 1520 phablet isn&rsquo;t for everyone, obviously. It&rsquo;s not the kind of thing that you buy to use simply for texting because it can&rsquo;t fit into your pants pocket (and hogs space in a small clutch). And it&rsquo;s not for someone who cares about having access to the latest apps. As a regular Android phone user, I&rsquo;m occasionally annoyed when I find an app that&rsquo;s only for iPhone. I can&rsquo;t imagine being a Windows Phone user and having that happen even more often, with more popular apps.</p>
<p>The good news is, Windows Phone is finally getting some apps users have been craving (Instagram and Flipboard are scheduled to hit the store soon). Twitter recently released its video app Vine for Windows Phone too.</p>
<p>If you prioritize great graphics on your Xbox Live games, getting work done with the Office Suite, or sharing high-quality photos and videos of your family vacation, then the Lumia 1520 will look pretty good with its giant screen and $100 off the price of the Samsung&rsquo;s Galaxy Note 3.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-review-2013-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/9-things-microsoft-does-better-than-apple-2013-119 Things Microsoft Does Better Than Applehttp://www.businessinsider.com/9-things-microsoft-does-better-than-apple-2013-11
Tue, 05 Nov 2013 21:04:00 -0500Kyle Russell
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/52795d0469bedde821037934-480-/nokia-lumia-920-1.jpg" border="0" alt="nokia lumia 920" width="480" />Despite billions in revenue each quarter and owning the dominant desktop platform in the world, people still find it easy to criticize Microsoft.</span></p>
<p>A lot of that has to do with its distant third place in the smartphone race &mdash; in the post-PC era, people care more about how you're doing on phones and tablets than in the traditional computing space.</p>
<p>That, along with Microsoft's struggles in boosting demand for its Surface tablets, has led to many people saying very negative things about the company's products and future.</p>
<p>Because of all of that negativity, many overlook the areas where Microsoft shines. While Apple may have the most-hyped phones and tablets on the market, Redmond's software giant still has a number of areas where its products come out on top.</p><h3>Microsoft's upcoming Project Spark is exciting because it makes creating interactive content on Microsoft's platforms insanely intuitive (even fun!). Apple's Xcode, while great for experienced developers, is nowhere near as approachable for your average person.</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/51cb4e8c69beddd12a00000e-400-300/microsofts-upcoming-project-spark-is-exciting-because-it-makes-creating-interactive-content-on-microsofts-platforms-insanely-intuitive-even-fun-apples-xcode-while-great-for-experienced-developers-is-nowhere-near-as-approachable-for-your-average-person.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Yes, Apple TV is slowly getting new sports content. But with the Xbox One, Microsoft is integrating NFL footage with people's fantasy leagues. There's no comparison for real sports fans.</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5225ed0369bedd177decaa09-400-300/yes-apple-tv-is-slowly-getting-new-sports-content-but-with-the-xbox-one-microsoft-is-integrating-nfl-footage-with-peoples-fantasy-leagues-theres-no-comparison-for-real-sports-fans.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>While Apple added controller support to iOS 7, nothing beats an amazing first-party controller to make hardcore gamers feel at home on a platform.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/51c0794169beddb86e00001c-400-300/while-apple-added-controller-support-to-ios-7-nothing-beats-an-amazing-first-party-controller-to-make-hardcore-gamers-feel-at-home-on-a-platform.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/9-things-microsoft-does-better-than-apple-2013-11#microsofts-live-tiles-are-a-great-hybrid-between-the-static-notifications-in-ios-and-the-attention-grabbing-widgets-of-android-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-ships-88-million-lumia-phones-2013-10Here's Some Really Good News For Nokia, Microsoft, And Windows Phones In General (NOK, MSFT)http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-ships-88-million-lumia-phones-2013-10
Tue, 29 Oct 2013 11:47:39 -0400Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/526fd854eab8eafd7f416a62-1200-924/steve-ballmer-and-stephen-elop-show-off-lumia-windows-phones-9.jpg" border="0" alt="steve ballmer and stephen elop show off lumia windows phones" /></p><p>The Nokia story over the last few years has been pretty dark. Declining market share. A late entrance to the modern smartphone era. And so on.</p>
<p>But there's some good news, especially now that Nokia will soon be part of Microsoft if and when the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-buys-nokia-devices-2013-9">$7 billion deal is finalized</a>. Nokia's shipments of its Lumia phones, the devices powered by Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system, are growing quarter over quarter.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In its Q3 earnings report today, Nokia said it shipped 8.8 million Lumia phones. That's up from the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/windows-phone-overtaking-blackberry-2013-7">7.4 million it shipped in Q2</a>. Nokia says a lot of those shipments come from the Lumia 520, a budget-friendly Windows Phone that costs as little as $100 without a contract.</p>
<p>This is a good sign for Microsoft and its Windows 8 OS. Windows Phone 8 has teeny tiny market share (about 3%-5%, depending on what survey you look at), but that market share has been growing year over year. Plus, there's a lot of potential for Microsoft to solidify its position as a strong third place behind Android and the iPhone now that BlackBerry's new BlackBerry 10 devices have proven to be major duds with consumers.</p>
<p>So, how's Microsoft doing this?</p>
<p>A lot of it is because of cheap phones.</p>
<p>And by cheap, I don't mean crappy phones. I mean affordable phones like the Lumia 520 mentioned above. Windows Phone 8's strength comes from the fact that even cheaper devices with the OS have all of the same software features as top-tier devices like Nokia's Lumia 1020. And unlike Android devices, all Windows Phone 8 devices get software updates almost as soon as they're available, ensuring users have the latest and greatest features.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Apple refuses to budge on pricing. It's still selling its iPhones for hundreds more (unlocked) than Nokia sells a lot of its cheaper Lumias for. Many have criticized Apple for not making a "cheap" version of its iPhone so it can snap up some more market share. Meanwhile, Android device manufacturers have been able to pump out alot of cheap phones that cost next to nothing, which is why Android controls about 80% 0f the smartphone market.</p>
<p>Right now, Nokia is pretty much the only company that's serious about making Windows Phones. HTC hasn't made one in nearly a year. Samsung has a few, but it spends most of its time promoting its Galaxy-branded Android phones that it makes a lot more money from.</p>
<p>The next challenge for Microsoft will be using Lumia phones to prove Windows Phone 8 is a viable platform that other manufacturers should build into.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-ships-88-million-lumia-phones-2013-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-phablet-2013-10Here's The World's First Giant-Screen Windows Phone, The Nokia Lumia 1520http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-phablet-2013-10
Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:00:00 -0400Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5265bd28eab8eaa429ccecea-1200-924/nokia-lumia-1520.jpg" border="0" alt="nokia lumia 1520" /></p><p>Nokia announced today the world's first giant-sized Windows Phone, the Lumia 1520.</p>
<p>The Lumia 1520 will have a 6-inch screen, which makes the phone's display a full inch larger than Samsung's Galaxy S4 and two inches larger than Apple's iPhone 5S.</p>
<p>It's also the first phone to take advantage of the newest version of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 software, which has been designed to work on giant "phablets" (part phone, part tablet). &nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The newest version of Windows Phone 8 has a few other tweaks like improved multitasking and a driving mode that limits the notifications you receive while in the car. You can learn more about the newest version of Windows Phone 8 <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2013/10/14/announcing-our-third-windows-phone-8-update-plus-a-new-developer-preview-program.aspx">right here</a>.</span></p>
<p>Like most of Nokia's recent Lumia phones, there will be a lot of focus on the camera. The Lumia 1520 will have a 20 megapixel camera plus a dual flash for better lighting in low-light settings. Many agree that Nokia's phones take the best photos, and this device should be no exception.</p>
<p>Other than that, there aren't many surprises. The Lumia 1520 can do just about everything else other Windows Phone 8 devices can do. It just gives you a bigger screen to do it all on.</p>
<p>No word on pricing or launch date, but Nokia says the Lumia 1520 will be available in the U.S. this year.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-phablet-2013-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-coming-to-windows-phone-2013-10Instagram And A Few Other Much-Needed Apps Are Finally Coming To Windows Phones (MSFT)http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-coming-to-windows-phone-2013-10
Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:00:00 -0400Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/51c09104eab8ea1f7600000f-640-480/kevin-systrom-instagram-ceo.jpg" border="0" alt="Kevin Systrom Instagram CEO" /></p><p>Despite its relatively weak market share, Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 is a really good operating system for smartphones. Tech reviewers have mostly nice things to say about it, and it makes a strong alternative if you want something a bit different.</p>
<p>And in many ways Windows Phone 8 is better than Apple's iOS for iPhone or Google's Android. Instead of just a bunch of boring static apps, your Windows Phone home screen is filled with beautiful icons called Live Tiles that update in real time with information such as new Facebook photos in your feed or the latest weather conditions.</p>
<p>But no matter how good Windows Phone gets, it still has a pitiful app selection compared to iPhone and Android. Developers prefer to make their apps for iPhone and Android first because those two platforms have the most users. It doesn't make sense for many companies to spend resources making Windows Phone apps when relatively few people will be able to use them.</p>
<p>Today, Microsoft and Nokia announced that Windows Phone 8 will soon have two of the most sought after apps, Instagram and Vine. (Vine, if you're unfamiliar, is Twitter' popular video sharing app.) That's not all. Popular news reading app Flipboard is coming to Windows Phone too.</p>
<p>Instagram is an especially big win for Windows Phone. It's easily the most popular photo sharing app for smartphones with more than 150 million users. But Facebook-owned Instagram has been reluctant to make the move to Windows Phone until now.</p>
<p>There's no specific launch date for Instagram, Vine, and Flipboard on Windows Phone, but it sounds like they're all very close.</p>
<p>Now, does this solve all of Windows Phone's app-selection woes?</p>
<p>Nope.</p>
<p>It's taken three years for Instagram to come to Windows Phone. And there's still a chicken-or-the-egg problem with Windows Phone apps. Consumers want to buy phones with the apps they want. Developers want to make apps on platforms that have the most consumers. The unfortunate reality in Windows Phone's case so far is that neither side has been willing to budge.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The good news is that Windows Phone's market share is creeping up. Nokia <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/windows-phone-overtaking-blackberry-2013-7">shipped 7.4 million Windows phones two quarters ago</a>, and there's talk that it may have shipped 8 million more last quarter. (We'll find out for sure on October 29 when Nokia reports earnings.) That's nowhere near the level of iPhones and Android phones shipped each quarter, but it does seem to be enough to get big-name developers interested.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-coming-to-windows-phone-2013-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-925-review-2013-9REVIEW: Nokia's Lumia 925 Is The Best Windows Phone You Can Buy (MSFT)http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-925-review-2013-9
Sun, 08 Sep 2013 11:59:47 -0400Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/522c9d016bb3f7b15cb8551b-480-/nokia-lumia-925.png" border="0" alt="nokia lumia 925" width="480" /></p><p>Nokia has several variations of its Lumia Windows Phones, but there are four that stand out as the company's top tier devices &mdash; the Lumia 920, 928, 1020, and 925.</p>
<p>It's the latter model, the Lumia 925, that's by far the most impressive. And it's the best Windows Phone you can buy.</p>
<p>The Lumia 925 has been around for a few months, but it's now available on <a href="http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/nokia/lumia-925-black.html#fbid=sxyw_xoLGGd">AT&amp;T for $100</a>. You can also <a href="http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phones/nokia-lumia-925.html">buy it through T-Mobile</a> for $30 down and $20 per month for 24 months.&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">But don't let the cheap price fool you. The Lumia 925 is still a premium Windows Phone.</span></p>
<p>Let's be clear though. Under the hood, the Lumia 925 is essentially the same phone as the Lumia 920 that launched nearly a year ago. The camera is a bit better and there are other minor hardware improvements, but if you compare the specs you'll see that the Lumia 925 is still last year's device wrapped in a prettier package.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That's not a bad thing. My <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-920-review-2012-11">chief complaint with the Lumia 920</a> was that it was far too thick and heavy compared to other top-tier smartphones. The 925 is slimmer, lighter, and much more attractive. It has an aluminum frame that holds in a durable polycarbonate plastic backing. The front is all glass and has a vibrant 4.5-inch screen.</p>
<p>The aluminum feels really nice and smooth, and it's refreshing to finally see a Windows Phone built with at least some metal. (Most are really plasticky.) However, just like the metal on the iPhone 5 and HTC One, it can scratch very easily. I've only had the Lumia 925 for about two weeks and it's already attracted a few dings and scratches. (Don't get me started on what my poor iPhone 5 looks like after all these months.)</p>
<p>Like it does with other Lumia phones, Nokia makes a big deal out of the 925's camera. There's a dedicated camera shutter button on the side that you can use to launch the camera app, which makes it easy to quickly snap a photo without digging through your list of apps. Photo quality is really good, better than most phones I've tested.</p>
<p>But don't let a fancy camera be the deciding factor. As pretty as this phone is, it's still a Windows Phone, and Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 software still has a few annoying quirks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The biggest problem with Windows Phones is still its lack of high quality apps. Developers prefer to make their apps for iPhone and Android because Windows Phones only hold a tiny percentage of the smartphone market. It's not worth it for many developers to dump time and money into making an app for a relatively tiny audience.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That means the Lumia 925 is missing a lot of popular apps that iPhone and Android users love: Vine, Instagram, Gmail, Google Maps, and so on. Even the Facebook app isn't made by Facebook. It's made by Microsoft with Facebook's permission. That means you're not always getting the latest mobile features.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yes, there are a ton of alternative apps to these popular services. But if you want the best apps, a Windows Phone like the Lumia 925 isn't a good choice.</p>
<p>Overall, Windows Phone 8 is a nice smartphone operating system. If you don't really care about apps, then it's a great option, especially because most Windows Phones like the Lumia 925 cost about half as much as other phones like the iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S4.</p>
<p>If you want a Windows Phone and are an AT&amp;T or T-Mobile customer, you should look at the Lumia 925 first. It's not the best smartphone, but it's a decent option if you're looking for premium device at a cheap price.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-925-review-2013-9#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-2013-9Here's The First Photo Of Nokia's New Windows Phone With A Giant Screenhttp://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-2013-9
Fri, 06 Sep 2013 09:11:00 -0400Steve Kovach
<p>A photo of Nokia's next smartphone, the super-sized Lumia 1520, leaked this morning.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The image <a href="https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/375964692004360193">comes from @evleaks</a>, a Twitter user who accurately posts photos of gadgets before they launch.</p>
<p>A few gadget writers have reported on the 1520 before, but this is the first time we've actually seen it. Nokia is expected to formally announce the phone later this month, but that could change following the news that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-buys-nokia-devices-2013-9">Microsoft plans to buy Nokia's phone business for about $7.2 billion</a>. There have also been rumors that Nokia will introduce a Windows tablet this fall.</p>
<p>The Lumia 1520 is said to have a 6-inch screen that can play HD video. It'll also run Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 smartphone operating system.</p>
<p>Here's the photo of the Lumia 1520:</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5229d2c66bb3f77f7db36ab2-467-473/btex5ttcuaeqaus.png-large.png" border="0" alt="nokia lumia 1520 leaked press render" /></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-2013-9#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/google-shuts-down-youtube-windows-phone-app-2013-8Google Blocks Videos From Playing On The Windows Phone YouTube App (MSFT, GOOG)http://www.businessinsider.com/google-shuts-down-youtube-windows-phone-app-2013-8
Thu, 15 Aug 2013 13:44:12 -0400Steve Kovach
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/520d112b6bb3f7ad77000040-480-/nokia-lumia-928-home-screen-1.jpg" border="0" alt="nokia lumia 928 home screen" width="480" /></p><p>Google has blocked videos from the YouTube app on Windows Phones for violating the terms of use. The Verge was the first site to <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/8/15/4624706/google-blocks-window-phone-youtube-app">report the news</a>.</p>
<p>A little backstory: Google does not make the Windows Phone YouTube app like it does for iPhone and Android. Instead, Microsoft makes the app and taps into YouTube's developers tools to pull in videos to your phone.</p>
<p>But Google and Microsoft have had a lot of back and forth recently over the way the YouTube app for Windows Phone works, with Google occasionally blocking videos from playing. Microsoft then fixes the app, but Google finds another reason to block videos. And so on.</p>
<p>Obviously, the best solution would be for Google to make its own YouTube app for Windows Phone, but that would mean helping out its rival Microsoft. And the Windows Phone platform doesn't have enough users to make it worth for Google to spend all that time to serve pre-roll video ads to a relatively small audience. Google is much better off focusing on the massive number of users who own iPhones or Android devices.</p>
<p>On the flipside, Microsoft is doing most of the work for Google for free here, so it seems quite petty to block the YouTube app on Windows Phones.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-shuts-down-youtube-windows-phone-app-2013-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nintendo-and-microsoft-both-failing-2013-8Nintendo And Microsoft Are Failing For The Same Reasonhttp://www.businessinsider.com/nintendo-and-microsoft-both-failing-2013-8
Wed, 07 Aug 2013 13:30:00 -0400Kyle Russell
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/520260096bb3f7994200000d-480-/nintendo-wii-u-demo-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Nintendo Wii U Demo" width="480" /></p><p></p>
<p>Nintendo can't sell the Wii U for the same reason that Microsoft hasn't been able to sell Windows Phones or Windows 8 tablets: it hasn't given consumers or developers a solid reason to get behind it.</p>
<p>While the Wii U, Surface, and many phones running Windows Phone 8 are fantastic devices, potential buyers of both have found that the software offerings on both platforms lacking.</p>
<p>When consumers don't buy the devices, developers have even less of a reason to make software. It's a vicious cycle.</p>
<p>While Microsoft's main problem was that it came out too late (Windows Phone came out in late 2010 and Windows 8 tablets hit the market less than a year ago), Nintendo can't get developers on board for a litany of reasons.</p>
<p>Its tablet controller, known as the GamePad, has kept some games from coming to the console because <a href="http://herocomplex.latimes.com/games/wii-u-reasons-for-optimism-despite-slow-sales-no-arkham-online/" target="_blank">developers don't know how to take advantage of it in a unique way.</a></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">It only sold 160,000 units of the Wii U last quarter,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/31/4574032/nintendo-earnings-q1-2013" target="_blank">a 50% drop from the quarter before</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">. Developers don't want to make games that need to sell millions of copies for a system that doesn't even have that big of a user base.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">A <a href="http://kotaku.com/ea-sports-developer-calls-wii-u-crap-and-nintendo-wa-508481261" target="_blank">senior software developer at EA Sports even called the Wii U "crap"</a> and said that Nintendo is "walking dead at this point." Perhaps it's not a surprise that "FIFA 14" and "Madden NFL 25," two of EA Sports' biggest titles for the year, <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2013/5/21/4351844/ea-developing-wii-u-games" target="_blank">aren't coming to the console.</a></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Why was he so harsh towards the Wii U? One of the main complaints coming from developers is that it's underpowered compared to the upcoming PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. While the Wii U's hardware is about 1.5 &nbsp;times faster than the current PlayStation and Xbox, the next-generation systems coming this holiday season will&nbsp;<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/05/21/xbox-one-vs-ps4/" target="_blank">blow it out of the water.</a></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">When a system has less power, it takes&nbsp;more<em>&nbsp;</em>work to scale down a game made for the more powerful competitors.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">That's the reason Bethesda and DICE, developers of the Elder Scrolls and Battlefield franchises, have given for not supporting the console. When asked about whether any of its big upcoming releases would make it to the system, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/06/wii-u-not-on-bethesdas-short-term-radar/" target="_blank">Bethesda's VP of PR went so far</a> as to say, "it's guaranteed that none of those games are coming to Wii U." DICE executive producer Patrick Bach <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-26-ea-and-nintendo-the-collapse-of-the-unprecedented-relationship" target="_blank">expressed similar sentiments in an interview with EuroGamer.</a></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">As for consumers, both Nintendo and Microsoft have completely failed on the marketing front.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">When the Wii U was first announced, Nintendo did such a poor job at the unveiling that <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/06/06/what-nintendo-didnt-tell-you-about-the-wiiu/" target="_blank">a CNN tech reporter actually thought it was just an add-on for the original Wii.</a>&nbsp;If someone who lives and breathes the tech world couldn't figure out the Wii U, how could a normal consumer?</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/nintendo-switches-wii-u-ad-focus-to-revive-sales/4007580.article" target="_blank">As MarketingWatch's Sebastian Joseph reported today</a>, that's why Nintendo is rolling out an ad campaign in the U.K. featuring English comedian Rufus Hound that shows off the actual benefits to using the Wii U's tablet controller.</p>
<p>That's similar to the approach that Microsoft has been taking with ads for Windows 8 tablets. The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7UlE-o8DQQ" target="_blank">original ads for the Surface featured fun choreography and people dancing</a>,&nbsp;but left potential customers with no idea of what the device could actually do. More recent ads have <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86JMcy5OqZA" target="_blank">focused directly on what Windows 8 tablets can do in comparison to the iPad.</a></p>
<p>Nintendo and Microsoft are also both actively trying to fix the situations with developers on their platforms. <a href="http://www.edge-online.com/news/indies-on-wii-u-how-does-nintendos-approach-compare-to-sony-and-microsofts/" target="_blank">Nintendo has been going after top-tier independent developers</a> and convincing them to release on the Wii U. In some cases, it's even been <a href="http://mynintendonews.com/2013/02/08/bayonetta-2-and-the-wonderful-101-will-stay-as-wii-u-exclusives/" target="_blank">directly funding development of games</a> in order for them to be exclusive to the Wii U.</p>
<p>That's not unlike <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-pays-big-bucks-for-windows-phone-8-apps-2013-6" target="_blank">Microsoft's strategy of giving developers up to $100,000</a> to release versions of their apps for Window Phone 8.</p>
<p>Whether either company can revive their failing platforms is unclear. Just within the last few years, Nintendo has <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_3DS#Sales_2" target="_blank">completely reversed the fortunes of its 3DS handheld</a> by cutting its price and releasing a stream of quality games. Perhaps a price cut sometime before this holiday season and the release of a new "Zelda" title in October will save the Wii U.</p>
<p>As for Microsoft's phone and tablet platforms, that's anybody's guess. <a href="http://bgr.com/2013/06/28/blackberry-windows-phone-market-share/" target="_blank">As Brad Reed at BGR noted</a> a few weeks back, the latest ComScore data indicates that its phone platform is going in the wrong direction when it comes to market share. To help with the app situation, <a href="http://www.zdnet.com/microsofts-new-windows-phone-dev-tool-will-it-reduce-the-app-gap-7000019057/" target="_blank">ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reported</a> earlier today that Microsoft has released a new tool that makes it easier to make apps for the platform.</p>
<p>Maybe opening the door to app development to those with less of a tech background will be the thing that closes the gap between what's available on Windows Phone and what's on iOS and Android, making it a more viable option for consumers.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nintendo-and-microsoft-both-failing-2013-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p>